Basic Climbing Anchors

Basic Climbing Anchors

The Basic Climbing Anchors course is designed to give climbers a solid foundation in the principles and techniques used to build safe, efficient anchor systems. Students will learn the different types of climbing anchors, their individual components and how to evaluate the strength, direction and reliability of each system.

Topics include essential knots and hitches, the use of natural features and artificial protection such as stoppers, tricams, hexes and spring-loaded camming devices (SLCDs). We will also focus on the critical elements of anchor construction, including redundancy, equalization, extension and load distribution.

Students will learn to understand and apply established anchor-building principles such as SERENE and ERNEST through hands-on practice and individual instruction. The goal is not simply to memorize anchor configurations, but to develop the judgment needed to evaluate available options and build appropriate systems in real climbing environments.

We will spend the day reviewing core concepts and then applying them outdoors. The majority of the course is hands-on, with an emphasis on repetition, practical application and developing confidence in building and evaluating climbing anchors.

Basic skills covered

• Natural Anchors

• Passive Chocks

• Mechanical Chocks

• Fixed Gear

• Fall Factor

• Direction of Pull

• Knots, Bends and Hitches

• Belay Anchors

• Trad Anchors

• Bolted Anchors

Typical Cost: Variable

Duration: 1 Day

Please check our calendar of events for a current list of scheduled training sessions.

Custom Training 

Training can also be customized and scheduled based on your availability. Feel free to contact us any time to inquire about your desired topic and we can discuss available dates and participant minimums.